Milwaukee Public Schools released the following statement Thursday evening: “Today a woman entered Starms Early Childhood Center at dismissal time and was able to intercept a 4-year-old girl who was on the way to the office from a nearby classroom to meet her mother. When the girl did not come to the office, the girl’s mother and a school staff member learned the child had left seconds earlier with an unidentified woman. The girl and the suspect were found a few blocks from the school by a member of the school staff and the girl’s mother, who pursued the woman in a car. The mother and staff member took the girl from the woman. Police arrived minutes later. It does not appear the girl was harmed. We are grateful for that and continue to investigate the matter.”

FOX6 News spoke with the little girl’s mother Thursday night, who said her daughter’s name is Charity. After a draining and terrible day, she only had the energy to speak with FOX6 News over the phone.

The girls’ mother says the woman went to the school, claiming the girl’s mother had given her permission to pick the girl up. The school tells a slightly different story – saying the woman intercepted the girl as she was on her way to the office.

The girl’s mother, who only wanted to be identified as “Paula,” said moments after she located her daughter, she watched the woman walk into a nearby daycare and try to do the whole thing again!